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Hello! I’d like to introduce and suggest the Lockheed P-38F Lightning for War Thunder. The P-38F is a intermediate variant between P-38E and P-38G with different engines, underwing racks, and combat flaps.
Key Characteristics
- First production variant with inboard underwing racks after P-38E
- Turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710-49/-53 (1,325 hp each) powerplants
- New combat flaps, which the P-38E lacked
- New provisions for 2 x 1000-lb bombs
History
The P-38F variant was the first Lightning version and was considered fully combat-ready in late 1942. It had two significant changes made to the ‘F’ variant from the ‘E’ variant; it was given new and powerful engines of Allison V-1710-49/53s and new pylons between the engines and the cockpit for 1,000 lb bombs or fuel drop tanks. However, it had cost a significant increase in weight of P-38F.
Lockheed built the first production block P-38F-1-LO with new wing racks. Each rack could carry a smoke curtain installation or a 22-inch torpedo. 149 of the P-38F-1-LO subvariant were built. The P-38F-5-LO was the next production block with revised landing lights, desert equipment, identification lights, and other minor changes, and 100 of the P-38F-5-LO were built. The P-38F-13-LO and P-38F-15-LO were the last block production subvariants. A total of 29 F-13-LO only had modified instruments for British usage, and a total of 212 F-15-LO had new combat flaps that could be extended to 8 degrees, improving lift and maneuverability.
The P-38F entered service in February 1942. About 200 P-38Fs flew to Britain by July-August 1942 during Operation Bolero (US military troop buildup in Britain) before an Allied invasion in Europe. The 1st Fighter Group and 14th Fighter Group had flown their P-38Fs across the Atlantic with four stops via air bases in Maine, Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland. These P-38Fs were marked as the first fighters ever to be delivered across the Atlantic under the command of the US Army Air Force.
A P-38F had scored the first Luftwaffe aircraft kill in August 1942 on a technicality. The P-38F from the 27th Fighter Squadron flew out of Iceland on a patrol on August 14, 1942, to assist in the destruction of a Fw-200 Condor that had been pursued by either a P-40C or a P-39 from the 33rd Squadron. Fw-200 received hits and caught on fire, and then the P-38F executed a high-speed defection shooting to finish it off.
Around 347 sorties later, without enemy contact, the P-38Fs from the 1st and 14th Fighter Groups were transferred and redeployed to the 12th Air Force in North Africa to participate in Operation Torch. They would initially station at an airfield in Algeria alongside P-40 Warhawks. The P-38Fs would see their first combat operations on November 11, 1942, against Italian and German forces.
Lockheed built a final total of 527 P-38Fs and shipped them to the squadrons stationed in the Mediterranean and Pacific before being replaced by P-38Gs and P-38Js.
Specifications
Lockheed P-38F-15-LO LightningGeneral Characteristics
- Crew: 1 (Pilot)
- Length: 37 feet 9.8125 inches (11.53 meters)
- Height: 9 feet 9.75 inches (2.99 meters)
- Span: 52 feet (15.85 meters)
- Wing area: 327.5 square feet (30.42 square meter)
- Propellers: 2 x 3 blades
- Powerplants: 2 x turbo-supercharged piston engines, Allison V-1710-49(Right)/-53(Left)
→ 1,325 hp @ 3,000 rpm @ sea level- Empty Weight: 12,200 lb (5,533 kg)
- Gross Weight: 15,900 lb (7,212 kg)
- Internal Fuel: 300 US gal. (1,135 liters)
- Oil Tankage: 26 US gal. (98.4 liters)
Performance
- Speed: 345 mph @ 5,000 feet (555 km/h @ 1,524 meters)
- Critical Altitude Speed: 395 mph @ 25,000 feet (635 km/h @ 7,620 meters)
- Rate of Climb: 3,500 feet per minute @ Sea Level (17.8 meter per second)
- Time of Climb: 8.5 minutes to 20,000 feet (6,096 meters)
- Service Ceiling: 39,000 feet (11,887 meters)
- Maximum Range: 1,925 miles (3,098 kilometers)
Engine Ratings
Take-Off (Sea Level):
- 1,240 hp @ 3,000 rpm @ 44.5” hg
Military Power (S.L. - 15,000 feet):
- 1,325 hp @ 3,000 rpm @ 47.0” hg
Maximum Continuous (S.L. - 27,000 feet):
- 1,000 hp @ 2,600 rpm @ 38.0” hg
Armament
Guns:
- 1 x 20-mm M1 cannon (150 Rounds)
- 4 x .50-cal M2 Browning machine guns (2,000 Rounds)
Bombs:
- 2 x 1000-lb bombs
- 2 x 500-lb bombs
Drop Tanks:
- 2 x 150-gal drop tanks
Supplemental Data
Information for the Chart
Model P-38F-13-LO, P-38F-15-LO, P-38G-15-LO, Lightning II, Lockheed 322-60-19, 322-68-19
Summary
The following are the performance characteristics at a Gross Weight of 14,673 pounds:
GUARANTEED
* High Speed at 27,000 Ft. with 1150 BHP per engine: 404 MPH
* High Speed at 5,000 Ft. with 1150 BHP per engine: 340 MPH
Endurance at Normal Power (1000 BHP per engine) at 20,000 Ft.: 1.1 Hr.
** Time to climb to 20,000 Ft. | 7.6 Min.
Distance required to take-off or land over a 50 ft. obstacle, within 2100 FT.
The performances stated in this paragraph are guaranteed to +/- 1.5%.
Engine power ratings for both the V-1710-F5 and the V-1710-F10 engine installations shall be the same.
* Based upon sea level compressibility correction.
** 5 minutes at 1150 BHP per engine, 2.9 minutes at 1000 BHP per engine.
Images
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
I made this suggestion to request more World War II-era vehicles for War Thunder. This P-38F would make a welcoming addition to the P-38 Lightning family in War Thunder. The P-38F could be a great opportunity to use as the first Lightning variant capable of ground attack with bombs.
Sources
Primary
- Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions for Army Models P-38D Through P-38G Series F-4, F-4A, and F-5A Series Airplanes (1 October 1942)
Secondary
- P-38 Lightning in Action Aircraft In Action 1109 (1990)
- P-38 Lightning in detail & scale: XP-38 through P-38H Part 1 (1998)
- P-38 Performance Tests
- P-38 Lightning - History, Photos, and Specs of Lockheed's Great Fighter
- Lockheed P-38F Lightning
- Lockheed P-38F Lightning
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Wikipedia
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃
